Calm returns to Ajloun after weekend riots

AMMAN — Calm was restored in Ajloun Governorate on Sunday following pledges from Prime Minister Omar Razzaz to form a committee to investigate the shooting incident that left one person dead over the weekend.

A young man was killed and six others, including four police officers, were injured on Saturday during riots in Anjara after police arrested two men who refused to provide identification documents when they were pulled over for a routine traffic inspection on Friday.

The two men reportedly resisted arrest and called their relatives who rushed to help them, eventually culminating in riots, road blockages, arson and sabotage of public property that continued over two days, and prompted police to use tear gas.

The situation further escalated when a young man was killed during the riots and police attributed his death to an unknown source, causing outrage among his family member and relatives.

“The situation is calm and all the roads leading in and out of town are open,” Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

The police official told The Jordan Times that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the director of the Greater Ajloun Municipality, Hassan Zghoul, told The Jordan Times that the victim’s family is still refusing to “receive their son’s body for burial”.

“His family wants to know who caused his death before taking his body and gave the authorities till Tuesday before taking any further action,” Zghoul said.

However, later on Sunday after a meeting with the town’s dignitaries and tribes representatives, the family reportedly agreed to receive Saqer Zghoul’s body, and were expected to bury him on Monday.

The family and the dignitaries reportedly maintained the Tuesday deadline for announcing the outcomes of the investigation and identifying the shooter.

The municipality official said the situation in Anjara is “much better than the past two days, and hopefully the results of the investigation will come out soon”.

Zghoul also said that the two men arrested by police after the traffic check have been released.

On Sunday, Razzaz pledged, during a Lower House session, to “apply the law fairly in the Ajloun incident to prevent chaos or allowing anyone to insult the integrity of the state and the law”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

“What happened in Ajloun was very painful for all of us and we are committed to conducting a professional and objective investigation into the death of Saqer Zghoul and the injury of several police officers,” Razzaz said.

The prime minister called on Anjara residents to continue their role of maintaining the peace, “until the investigation is complete and those responsible are held accountable”, according to Petra.